The tragic death of William, a Gaza veteran: "He struggled alone and received no help"

William Shakin, a 25-year-old lone soldier from New York who served in the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion and fought for months in Gaza, has died by suicide while suffering from PTSD following his combat service. Shakin immigrated to Israel after October 7, 2023, leaving his university studies to enlist in the IDF.

After returning to the United States, he struggled to cope with his mental health. His parents are now requesting that he be buried at Mount Herzl, arguing that the state failed to provide the support he needed. "I spoke to him two or three weeks ago; he seemed relatively normal," said his friend Haim Meisels. When Shakin stopped answering calls, his mother contacted emergency services, who later discovered his vehicle and a note detailing his struggle to cope.

His friend Elena described him as a dedicated and sensitive soldier: "He wanted to establish an organization to help lone soldiers. While in Lebanon, he messaged me about the death of his friend, Staff Sergeant Tuval Lifshitz, and expressed that he felt mentally dead." According to Meisels, the bureaucratic requirement to be physically present in Israel for medical committees made it impossible for Shakin to receive the support he was entitled to as a combatant. "The army was unwilling to provide remote treatment, which effectively denied him the psychological care that might have prevented this tragedy," Meisels added.

Meisels claims this is a systemic issue: "Dozens of lone soldiers who return to their families struggle to receive mental health care. There is no one for them to turn to, and private volunteer organizations have limited resources."

The Ministry of Defense responded: "We share in the deep grief of the Shakin family. To our great regret, no request for recognition was found in William's name. We emphasize that the Rehabilitation Department works to make services accessible, including remote options. Recognition requests can be submitted digitally, and medical committees can be coordinated via Zoom."